A CHEMO-MECHANICAL MODEL FOR ARTICULAR CARTILAGE

摘要

A three-phase multi-species electro-chemo-mechanical model of articular cartilage is developed that accounts for the effect of two water compartments, namely intrafibrillar water stored in between collagen fibrils and extrafibrillar water covering proteoglycans. The collagen fibers constitute the solid phase while intrafibrillar water and dissolved NaCl on one hand and extrafibrillar water, ions Na~+ and Cl~- and proteoglycans on the other hand form the two fluid phases. Chemical equilibrium between the fluid phases is assumed and only the mechanical aspects of the behaviour are considered.